Latest news with #MVEternityC
The Star
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
11 Filipino seafarers in ill-fated MV Magic Seas to return to Philippines Saturday (July 12) — Department of Migrant Workers
Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia updates members of media on the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City on July 12, 2025. Olalia said the rest of the Filipino crew members of the ill-fated MV Magic Seas are scheduled to return to the Philippines on Saturday. - Photo from Philippine News Agency MANILA: The remaining 11 of the 17 rescued Filipino seafarers from the MV Magic Seas that was recently attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea are set to return to the Philippines on Saturday (July 12) evening, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). In a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said the flight of the remaining 11 seafarers to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will be at 11pm. 'There are 11 of them. They will be the ones who will make up the 17 who came from the MV Magic Seas, the first ship where everyone was safe and we rescued them,' Olalia said. It was on Friday when the first six Filipino crew members of the ill-fated MV Magic Seas returned to the Philippines. According to Olalia, the government will also provide assistance to the arriving Filipino seafarers in terms of psychosocial services and financial aid. 'First of all, they have gone through very tragic and traumatic experiences. That's why it's necessary that they have psycho-social services when they arrive.,' the DMW undersecretary said in the Saturday news forum. Olalia said that the agency will conduct a medical investigation to identify whether the seafarers need to be referred to medical facilities. 'Apart from that, there is also financial assistance and various other assistance from all relevant government agencies,' he added. Meanwhile, the government's search and rescue operations continue for the remaining 13 still unaccounted crew members aboard the sunken MV Eternity C in Yemen. Earlier, the DMW announced that Houthi rebels aboard small boats attacked two ships — MV Magic Seas and MV Eternity C — manned by Filipino seafarers sailing through the Red Sea near Yemen. The attacks were the latest to be carried out by the Houthi rebels, who had been targeting vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, since the conflict between Israel and Hamas started to break out in 2023. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
GMA Network
19 hours ago
- GMA Network
DMW confirming if 3 Pinoys killed in MV Eternity C attack
A vessel said to be Greek-operated, Liberia-flagged MV Eternity C sinks in a video footage released by Yemen's Houthis, in the Red Sea, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on July 9, 2025. The vessel had 21 Filipino crew members, more than half of whom remain unaccounted as of July 11, 2025. HOUTHI MEDIA CENTER/Handout via REUTERS The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is still verifying reports that three of the 21 Filipino crew members of MV Eternity C were killed in the attack by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. At a news forum in Quezon City, DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia on Saturday said search and rescue operations for the remaining 13 Filipino seafarers are ongoing, in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Department of National Defense (DND). "Malakas ang ating paniniwala na sila ay buhay pa… (Our belief is strong that they are still alive)," Olalia said. "Mayroon tayong unconfirmed reports. Aalamin natin ito sa mga kababayan natin na na-rescue… sa oras na makausap natin sila. Tatlo ang sinasabi sa news na may kababayan tayong namatay sa MV Eternity C," he said. (We have unconfirmed reports. We will verify this with our countrymen who were rescued... once we get in touch with them. News reports have said some of our countrymen at the MV Eternity C have died.) The DFA said last Wednesday that two Filipino seafarers aboard MV Eternity C were "most likely" killed. Olalia reiterated that the other 13 Filipino sailors remain unaccounted. He said the DMW is still verifying reports that the unaccounted Filipino sailors are being held captive by the Houthis. Meanwhile, the eight rescued Filipino crew members are now in a "safe port" for their "eventual facilitated repatriation." The DMW has suspended the license of the principal and manning agency of the 21 Filipino seafarers aboard the ill-fated ship. Eternity C had 22 crew members on board, comprising of 21 Filipinos and one Russian. Reuters had reported that three guards were also on the vessel during the incident. It was attacked Monday with sea drones and skiffs 50 nautical miles southwest of the port of Hodeidah in Yemen. In an order issued in March 2024, the DMW mandated shipowners and manning agencies to report planned passages through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and ensure that Filipino crew are informed of the risks. Olalia reminded Filipino seafarers of their right to refuse to sail. The Philippines is one of the world's largest providers of shipping manpower. A bulk of Filipino seamen or more than 20% of the world's 1.2 million sailors man oil tankers, luxury liners, and passenger vessels worldwide, exposing them to attacks, piracy and ransom kidnappings. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
VP Sara Duterte condoles with families of OFWs killed in Red Sea attack
Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday extended her condolences to the families of three Filipino crew members reportedly killed in a Houthi rebel attack on a commercial ship in the Red Sea. In a video message, Duterte expressed grief and solidarity with the victims' loved ones. 'I, along with the entire Office of the Vice President, extend our condolences to the families of our three OFW seafarers who died aboard the MV Eternity C,' she said. Duterte also called for justice and prayed for the safety of the remaining crew members. 'We pray for justice for the three of them, as well as for the safety of their fellow crew members.' The Liberia-flagged, Greek-managed vessel MV Eternity C was struck during a missile attack by the Iran-backed Houthi group on Monday, July 7, sustaining engine damage. It carried 22 crew members, including 21 Filipinos and one Russian. According to Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac, eight Filipino crew members have so far been rescued, but 13 remain missing. Up to four deaths are being verified, with the Department of Foreign Affairs earlier stating that at least two Filipinos were 'most likely' killed.
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Sara Duterte seeks justice for Filipino seafarers killed in Houthi attack
Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday condoled with the bereaved families of the Filipino crew members who reportedly died when their commercial vessel was attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. 'Ipinapaabot ko, kasama ang buong Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Pangulo, ang aming pakikipagdalamhati sa pamilya ng tatlo nating kababayan na OFW seafarers na namatay sakay ng MV Eternity C,' Duterte said in a video message. (I, along with the entire Office of the Vice President, extend our condolences to the families of our three OFW seafarers who died aboard the MV Eternity C.) 'Aming pinagdarasal ang hustisya para sa kanilang tatlo at kaligtasan ng kanilang mga kasamahan,' she added. (We pray for justice for the three of them, as well as for the safety of their fellow crew members.) The cargo ship Eternity C sustained engine damage after it was hit during an assault by the Iran-backed Houthi group on Monday, July 7. The Liberia-flagged, Greek-managed vessel had 22 crew members on board—21 of whom are Filipinos and one is Russian. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said Thursday that three more Filipino crew members were rescued from the ship, bringing the total number to eight. Cacdac, however, said that the 13 other Filipino sailors remain unaccounted for, and as many as four deaths from the Houthi attack still need to be verified. The Department of Foreign Affairs had said two Filipino seafarers were "most likely" killed in the incident. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
3 days ago
- Filipino Times
DMW suspends manning agency, eyes legal action after deadly Houthi attack on Filipino seafarers
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has suspended the license of the manning agency and its foreign principal responsible for deploying Filipino seafarers aboard a vessel that was attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea earlier this week. In a Palace briefing, DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac confirmed that MV Eternity C violated government protocols by sailing through the high-risk Red Sea zone—twice—despite warnings against deploying Filipino crew to the area due to escalating threats. 'Our deployment guidelines are strict—there must be a risk assessment, maritime security escort, and armed guards. These were not followed,' Cacdac said. An initial probe revealed the ship traveled between Egypt, Somalia, and Jeddah, crossing the Red Sea corridor both ways. Beyond suspension, the DMW is considering filing civil and criminal charges against the vessel's owners, although Cacdac stressed that the immediate priority remains the safe recovery of crew members. As of latest reports, 5 of the 21 Filipino crew members have been rescued, while 3 were confirmed dead. The condition and whereabouts of the remaining seafarers remain uncertain as the DMW and the Department of Foreign Affairs continue to work with global partners on the rescue. The incident is part of a string of Houthi attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea amid ongoing tensions in the region.
